Spray apparatus with oscillatory discharge means



Nov. 28, 1950 J. N. WELCH 2,532,211

SPRAY APPARATUS WITH OSCILLATORY DISCHARGE MEANS H Filed Nov. 145, 194e [,fmmmpmfmp \52 5o A ff S Patented Nov. 28, 1950 SPRAY APPARATUS WITH OSCILLATORY DISCHARGE MEANS Joe N. Welch, Walpole, Mass.

Application November 15, 1946, Serial No. 710,140

3 Claims.

My present invention relates to fluid spraying, sprinkling and diffusion, and to shower and sprayer systems and apparatus for discharge of liquid or gaseous fluid. While of general utility the apparatus and devices of the invention are particularly useful in paper making and in textile and other fibre liberating, treating and handling, and in general for washing, cleaning, flushing and like treatment of drums, screws, molds, cylinders, rolls and of various chambers, containers and the like, especially where space limitations are an important consideration.

More particularly the invention aims to provide so-called shower-pipes, sprinkler-tubes and the like bodily xed or movable means of the class described of simplified and otherwise improved construction and arrangement, easy to install and economical to operate, including novel discharge elements and actuating mechanism whereby the discharging fluid may be subject to oscillation of the discharge members during operation of the apparatus and system.

In the drawings illustrating by way of example one embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly diagrammatic, of a shower-pipe unit of the system;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a nozzle for the unit of Fig. 1, on a larger scale; and

Fig. 3 is a plan of the nozzle of Fig. 2, looking at the discharge end.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, the system of the invention includes one or more units such as that of Fig. 1. The assembly as there shown comprises a hollow cylindrical shell, tube or pipe 5 of any length appropriate for the particular installation, as indicated by the intermediate broken-away portion in Fig. 1. The pipe 5, which may be of bronze or other preferably corrosion-resistant material, is supported in operative position as by an end coupling or bearing collar 1 having threaded or other connection with one end of the pipe as at 6.

The pipe-supporting coupling collar 'I adapts the shower unit for mounting on the appropriate supporting part 8, that shown somewhat diagrammatically in Fig. 1 being representative of any part available for the purpose at the particular installation. The selected part 8 is generally but not necessarily stationary. It may for example be a portion of or a bracket or like part attached to the frame of a paper-making or nbre-handling machine, a head or spider of a drum, a Wall of a chamber from which an accumulation of bres or other matter is to be released, andcorresponding parts for apparatus of the particular industry concerned. For illustration the pipe 5 is shown in a general horizontal position but the entire unit is adapted for operation in any preferred arrangement with respect to the horizontal.

In the present example the mounting collar I is formed with a flange 9 bolted in fluid-tight relation to the supporting part 8. Thus the shower pipe 5 and associated parts as illustrated may be supported at but one end, as at the left in-Eig. 1, adapting the unit for introduction into more or less closed or restricted spaces. Where the circumstances of use permit the unit may be otherwise supported. The fluid to be sprayed or diffused may be admitted directly to the pipe 5 at any convenient point along it or via the mounting collar l. As shown in Fig. 1 the latter has a fluid inlet IU for threaded or other connection to a fluid supply conduit II.` The end I2 of the shower pipe 5 distal from the supporting end 6 is closed and sealed as by a threaded cap |23.

AAn important feature of the invention. is the construction and arrangement of the .shower unit so that the elongated tubular element or pipe 5 itself constitutes the main housing, guide and support for the unit, also is the conduit for the fluid supply from the inlet I0 and in addition forms the tubular spray head proper from which the shower jet or spray discharge takes place, herein at the one or more nozzles thereon, to be described. This contrasts with known apparatus requiring two or more tubes or pipes in general parallelism and either laterally spaced or concentric. In the improved assembly unit of the invention the single pipe or tube 5 serves the plural functions of housing, support, guide, supply conduit and discharge head.

Accordingly the cylindrical wall of the pipe 5 is apertured to accommodate one or more and generally a multiplicity of iluid discharge means in the form of spray, jet or shower nozzles designated generally at I5, I5 in Fig. 1, one of them being shown separately in Figs. 2 and 3. These nozzles I5 are distributed along the pipe 5 in any desired spacing and arrangement usually including one or more longitudinal rows.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, each nozzle I5 comprises a cup-like tubular body or nozzle proper I6 including at the inner end a threaded nipple Il for reception in a corresponding aperture on the Wall of the pipe 5. The outer end of the nozzle body I6 has a central outlet opening I 8 preferably conically flared as shown to provide for the desired angular range of the spray or jet, generally to 20 or more about the central axis of the nozzle. Centrally within the body I6 is a chamber I9 circular in cross-section or substantially so, as seen dotted in Fig. 3. This chamber provides a bearing guide for the movable and generally spherica1 or ball-form discharge member 35 to be described.

The wall of the chamber I9 is annularly recessed to receive a removable snap ring 2Q, Fig. 2, spaced from the outlet I8 sufficiently to accommodate the discharge member 3i). This ring forms a retaining abutment for the discharge member 3|] and provides a seat therefor at certain times, as when the duid flow vis shut olf. The outer end of the chamber I9 is provided with lowfriction bearing and packing means 22 for the discharge member 30. Such means as shown may be in the form of a grommet or bearing washer having a central aperture conformant to the outlet I8 of the nozzle and dimensioned to seat snugly Within the adjacent end of the chamber IQ. The aperture-surrounding wall of this bearing and packing member 22 is inwardly ared substantially as indicated in Fig. 2 to provide a conical bearing and sealing seat for the discharge member 3Q. Said member 22 may be of rubber or a rubberous material suitable for sealing purposes and adapted for low-friction bearing engagement with the discharge member 3@ having regard to the material of the latter and as appropriate for the fluid to be distributed which may be water or other liquid or a gas including air.

Thus the nozzle body I6, ring 2U and washer 22 provide an outwardly sealed cage and universal guide-bearing for the discharge member 35i now to be described. In accordance with the invention this discharge member proper is constructed and arranged for oscillation in a plane generally longitudinal of the pipe 5. It also is Auniversally adjustable bodily with respect to the axis of the nozzle I5 so that the plane of oscillation may be angularly varied about the pipe axis. Accordingly this discharge member is of ball form or substantially spherical. It is proportioned to have a movable bearing fit in the chamber I9 where it is operatively located and guided by the chamber wall and the concave or conically tapered washer 22, and at times by the ring abutment 23.

The ball-form discharger, jet or spray-forming member i has at the outer segment a discharge orifice 32 of selected size and shape and which communicates inwardly with a diametral passage 33 in the ball. A fluid admitting channel 34 extends between the passage 33 and the lower segment of the ball member 3i) where it is open to fluid as at A radial stem 3l is threaded or otherwise iixed at the lower central portion of the ball member as in a tapped recess 38. To facilitate manufacture the diametral passage 33 is formed as a non-threaded continuation of the stem-attaching recess 33. Conformantly the luid channel 34 may be angularly offset substantially as shown. The stem 31 projects at the open yend of the nozzle-supporting nipple I1 and has as to impose a minimum load and proportionately to reduce power consumption.

Referring to Fig. 1, the operating fingers or levers 4D of the entire plurality of nozzles I5 are operatively associated with a connector herein comprising a tie bar or rod 45 extending longitudinally within the conjoint tubular housing, conduit and spray head or shower pipe 5. Opposite each nozzle I5 the rod 45 has provision for demountable connection with the corresponding operating linger 4S. Each such connection as shown comprises a diametral recess 46 through the rod 45 and tapered inward from one or both sides thereof. The recess portion of minimum diameter forms an annular fulcrum 41 for pivotal and sliding association with the corresponding finger 48. Said lingers or levers are proportioned to fit removably in the fulcral seats 41 with a minimum of lost motion.

In assembling the shower unit, and assuming that the rod 45 is in the neutral or longitudinally central position as shown, the fingers 40 of the several nozzles I5 are inserted at the nozzlemounting aperture of the tube or pipe 5 and inwardly through the corresponding radially 0pposite connection recess 46 of the tie rod 45. Since the ngers 40 are rotatively free in the connecting recesses 46, the nozzles I5 may readily be turned down into the installed position of Fig. l, from which they are readily demountable each as a unit, for cleaning and replacement or substitution.

The nozzle-operating connector or tie rod 45 is movably carried herein by a pair of opposed bellows 50 and 5I of similar size and capacity, one at each end of the rod and in mutual alignment in the tube or pipe 5. The opposed inner end walls 52, 53 of the bellows have internal axial bosses 54, 55 centrally tapped at the outer ends for threaded connection with the corresponding ends of the tie rod as at 56, 51. The outer end walls 56, 59 of the two bellows are formed at their outer faces with central supporting studs or bosses 60, 6I. The boss 6I for the bellows 5I at the right in Fig. l is threaded and sealed in a corresponding tapped aperture in the end closure cap I 3. An air-duct 63 extends through the boss 6I and the end wall 59 of the bellows, providing communication between the interior thereof and atmosphere. At the other or supporting end 6--1 of the pipe assembly the mounting boss 60 for the bellows 50 is tubular and is extended in sealing relation through and projects beyond the particular pipe-supporting part 8. This tubular boss 60 is externally threaded to receive an anchor nut 64 at the opposite face of the part 8 which latter also may have threaded engagement with the boss.

The bellows 50 at the supporting and operating end 6 1 of the shower unit further has associated with it an actuating rod 10, the inner end of which is secured as by threading at 1I to the inner end of the bossA 5 4 on the inner end wall 52 of the bellows 55. This actuating rod or actuator 10 extends freely out through the outer end wall 58 of the bellows 50 and axially through the tubular boss 63 with capacity for axial sliding movement in and relative to said parts as bearings. Communication between the interior of the bellows 50 and atmosphere is provided in any convenient manner as by an air duct 14 in the actuator 16.

The outer end of the actuator 10 is operatively associated with any preferred power source, motor, oscillator or reciprocating part such as indisprayed, coming from the supply line Il and entering at the inlet l0. The aligned bellows pair 50, 5I operates in balanced opposition. Thus in the central or neutral position of the parts as in full line in Eig. l, the fluid pressure at the inner face of one of the bellows balances that in the opposite direction at the other bellows. Hence there is substantially a zero load effective in either direction with respect to the actuating rod 10. The latter accordingly is readily subject to reciprocating movement with minimum effort from the oscillator, motor or operating means M. During operation of the shower apparatus oscillation imparted by the medium M to the actuator rod rod 45, the nozzle fingers 40 and the discharge members 30 in one and the opposite directions.

The extent of axial reciprocating travel by the connector 45 and hence the angular movement of the several discharge members 30 and also the timing thereof, whether at regular intervals or otherwise, may be regulated and controlled at the operating medium M. Travel toward the right in Fig. 1 as indicated by the right-hand dotted positions of the nozzle levers 40 compresses the bellows 5| and correspondingly extends the opposite bellows 50, maintaining a balance of forces upon the movable parts, exclusive of that imparted by the actuator 10. A like but reverse balancing action attends the travel toward the left. The result is a sweeping movement of the jet or spray discharge from the one or more nozzles i5 alternately in opposite directions lengthwise of the tubulal` unit,

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereof illustrated and described herein, and I set forth its scope in my following claims.

I claim:

1. A shower assembly unit comprising a cylindrical tube closed at the ends and adapted for support at one of them, a fluid inlet to the tube, the cylindrical Wall of the tube having a plurality of longitudinally spaced mounting apertures, a like number of spray nozzles installed at the respective apertures, each nozzle comprising a tubular chambered body with centrally open inner and outer ends, a ball discharge member movably held and guided in the body chamber and an operating nger projecting from the ball member and through the inner end of the nozzle body, a connector for the several fingers longitudinally disposed in the tube, opposed bellows subject to uid pressure in the tube and supporting the connector for pressure-balanced oscillation thereof lengthwise of the tube, and oscillatory actuator means operatively associated with the connector.

2. A shower system for fibre-handling, papermaking and other machines, comprising an elongated tubular body closed at the ends and having an inlet for fluid, the closure at one end including means for mounting the body on a supporting part, a multiplicity of nozzles distributed along and in fluid communication with the body and directed generally radially thereof, a discharge directing member carried in each nozzle with capacity for oscillatory movement :in a plane longitudinal and substantially diametrical of the body, a radially inwardly extending operating nger on each discharge directing member, a connector rod housed and guided for lengthwise movement in the body and operatively connecting the operating nngers of the several discharge directing members, a power-operated oscillator, and means whereby the oscillator actuates the connector rod to move the discharge directing members in unison in one and the opposite direction in said plane.

3. In a shower-pipe unit, an elongated tubular supporting and housing supply and discharge conduit having closing end walls and adapted for mounting at one of them a plurality of nozzles individually spaced along the conduit and communicating With the interior thereof, an oscillating discharge member in each nozzle, an operating rod housed in the conduit and commonly connected with the nozzle discharge members, a pair of opposed balancing bellows mounted in the conduit at the respective end walls, the operating rod being connected at the opposite ends to the respective bellows axially thereof, an inlet for uid to the conduit, and actuator means to move the rod alternately in opposite longitudinal directions thereby to oscillate the discharge from the nozzles.

JOEl N. WELCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 111e of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 963,199 Alden July 5, 1910 1,163,734 Binns Dec. 14, 1915 1,652,599 Ayers Dec. 13, 1927 1,730,348 Antiss Oct. 8, 1929 1,763,290 Arones June 10, 1930 1,826,590 Adams et al. Oct. 6, 1931 2,144,644 Ward Jan. 24, 1939 2,267,194 Drill Dec. 23, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 74 Russia of 1887 205,207 Great Britain JulyT 14, 1922 

